Hyatt has begun to let guests earn and burn loyalty points for travel experiences, such as cabana rentals or special chef’s table meals.
“Several Hyatt properties participating in Way’s platform are already generating millions in ancillary revenue,” said Arlie Sisson, Hyatt’s senior vice president and global head of digital.
The move is a first among major hotel groups, as I note in my exclusive for Skift. It’s also a win for the startup Way, which powers the tech.
“Way has been a true unlock for us in our search for an on-brand platform to power experiences and tap into ancillary revenue opportunities on one back-end system,” Sisson said.
Besides on-property cross-sells, Hyatt hotels have the opportunity to create custom experiences to offer guests.
Way’s founder and CEO Michael Stocker stressed the importance of hotels moving away from what he called a “commoditized supply” of experiences.
“A brand has an identity,” Stocker said. “You don’t want to just be selling the same tour or activity that you can get through any other channel.”